Presented at the5th Global Symposium on Gender in Aquaculture and Fisheries (GAF5)

12-15 November 2014, Lucknow, India

Gender Analysis in Aquaculture Value Chain: A Case Study of Tilapia Cage Culture in Sakon Nakhon, Thailand

ByKanit Naksung, P.hD.

Researcher Team

• Amonrat Sermwatanakul, Ph.D.• Kanit Naksung, Ph.D.• Jutarat Kittiwanich, Ph.D.• Wilawan Rayan •

Department of Fisheries, Thailand

Introduction

• In Thailand gender roles are getting more attention from both government and private sectors;

• Not many studies on how much women contribute to aquaculture development in Thailand;

• Tilapia is the most important cultured fish specie. In 2012, Thailand produced 153,311 tons of tilapia, 20% of which came from cage culture;

Introduction (continued)

• Northeast of Thailand is the most populated and has the lowest per capita income;

• Tilapia cage farming is an important income and protein source for people in the Northeast;

• Sakon Nakhon province isone of the most importantaquaculture areain the region.

Objectives

• To map the gender roles in small scale tilapia cage culture in Sakhon Nakhon;

• To identify and analyze roles and activities of women and men in the tilapia grow-out stage;

• To identify the gender issues, needs and opportunities.

Methodology

• PopulationTilapia cage farmers in

Sakon Nakhon Province

• Data collectionSecondary data Primary data

• Key informants interviews• 30 tilapia cage farmers interviews• In-depth interviews of 9 female cage farmers

Methodology (continued)

• Data AnalysisDescriptive and comparative

analysis with quantitative & qualitative methods

SWOT analysis

Tilapia cage culture in Sakon Nakhon Province

Thailand

Tilapia Cage Farming• Mostly operated in public water sources i.e. rivers reservoirs;• Tilapia are stocked within a net bag tied to bamboo or galvanized iron pipes cage frames supported by buoys made of bamboo or PVC barrels or oil drums;• Cage sizes are varied (ex. 3x3x2.5, 4x6x2.5, 2x4x2.5 m.).

• Stocked with male Nile tilapia or red tilapia fingerling (Oreochromisniloticus) size 35 – 40 gm.;• Raising period is 4 – 5 months;• Usually feed with manufactured feed pellet (25 – 30 % protein content).;• Harvested size 600 gm. or more;• Selling price 60 – 70 baht /kg (1.8 – 2.2 US$);• Contacted farming are widely practiced.

Tilapia Cage Farming

• 64 registered tilapia cage farmers in Sakon Nakhon Province in 2013;

Tilapia Cage Farming

Male 79.7%

Female 20.3%

51 farms

13 farms

Total Male Female

Respondents 30 63% 37%

Cages owned 11.5 13.53 8.27

Crop per year 2.04 2.0 2.09

Stocking Density (fish/m2)

33.62 29.99 39.84

Labours used (persons)

2.1 2.21 1.90

Annual Production (Kg)

10,225.0 10,900.0 8,763.64

Results

Total Male Female

Selling Price (US$) 1.95 1.94 1.95

Feed cost (US$) 13,826.0 14,945.6 11,593.4

Total cost (US$) 17,152.6 18,911.2 13,731.4

Cost per kg. (US$) 1.74 1.54 1.86

Profit per kg. (US$) 0.21 0.08 0.41

Results

Tilapia Fingerling Stocking

Culturing

Harvesting

Cage Construction

Location Selecting

Tilapia Cage FarmRegistration

Selling

Problem solvingKnowledge Inquiries

Acquiring Fund

Purchasing fryFeeding Decision

Feeding

Average Farming Decision

Purchasing Farm Inputs

Income Management

Emergencies Dealing

Selling Decision

:53 : 27

Starting Farm:50 : 27

:57 : 23

:53 : 40

:41 : 28

:43 : 27

:53 : 30

:63 : 37

:47 : 33

:43 : 27

:53 : 24

:10 : 67

:63 : 30

:30 : 23

:xx : xxSymbols

femalemale

Participation Percentage

Decision Matter Male Female Both

Starting the farm Choosing farm

locationacquiring

knowledge to solve farming problems

cage constructionpurchasing

fingerlings feeding Decision fish feedingAverarage

50.0% 26.7% 23.3%

53.3% 6.7%

20.0%53.3% 26.7%

40.0%

56.7% 20.0%23.3%

16.7%

53.3%

43.3% 26.7%

16.7%30.0%

30.0%

10.0% 73.3%

purchasing farm inputs finding fund grading fish sizeemergency problems

dealing

selling fish farm registration Income Management

Average

53.3%

46.7%

26.0%26.7%

63.3%

30.0%

33.3%

3.8%15.4%

30.0%

20.0%

80.8%

20.0% 50.0%

46.7%23.3%

36.7%

10.0% 66.7% 23.3%

41.1% 28.1% 30.8%

Conclusion

• Tilapia cage farming in Sakon Nakhon was involved by different gender roles;

• In general, male cage farmers played more roles in tilapia cage farming than female cage farmers;

• There were no rules or regulations preventing female cage farmers from participating in tilapia cage farming. Their roles in the tilapia cage farms were limited by their responsibilities in the households.

Conclusion

Tilapia CageFarm

Household

Woman

Small scale tilapia cage farming equilibrium

Implication

• Provide training concerning tilapia cage farming specifically to female tilapia cage farmers;

• Tilapia cage farming extension efforts should focus more on the women;

• Encourage cage farmers to process their tilapia production into other value added fish products to lessen their dependence on selling their fresh fish through middle persons or feed agents and allow female to participate more.

• Create more stable and reasonable selling price for fresh tilapia production and increase cost for feed and tilapia fingerlings to reduce risks and create more flavourable situation for female farmers to participate more.

Implication (continued)

Thank you

Krob Khun Krub